


binary stars

by KeanBlade



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, Don't Copy to Another Site Without Permission, I have no idea what this wants to be to tag, M/M, Multi, mafia, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:22:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29673468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeanBlade/pseuds/KeanBlade
Summary: Life as the head of the Uchiha Family was not a safe one, Madara knew that but with the Ghost watching his back he had little fear of attacks in the dark; even if he knew he didn't know all that Tobirama was.
Relationships: Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Madara
Comments: 38
Kudos: 216





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm headed over to Roses next, I just wanted to do a few shorter things before I get back to what might be a long one (gulp)

Madara stared at his new bodyguard with faint distain, but more disinterest; Hashirama had broken his promise in the end- as Madara had long suspected he would- and as long as Tobirama was competent it mattered little who Hashirama had sent in his place and by all reports the slender albino was more than capable. With a bit back sigh Madara waved his new shadow away to get his instructions from the head of Madara’s guard, Kikiyo would get things sorted out and Madara was sure that he would have Tobirama on his tail in the next few days otherwise he didn’t care; there was no doubt that Tobirama would swear the oaths and keep them and Madara had no fear of the Senju turning on him, not when he was Hashirama’s brother and a _Senju_ , other than that Madara had no interest in getting to know Tobirama. Not just because he was…quietly bitter about it not being Hashirama that had come but also he just didn’t have _time_ to get to know another person right now, especially when he had heard a bit about Tobirama and had no reason to think they would get along (and…well, who knew how long Tobirama was going to even be alive, Madara would get to know him after he survived at least two fire fights).

With a shallow bow Tobirama turned on his heel with impressive economy of grace- not that Madara was looking- and slipped utterly silently out the door, leaving the young head of the Uchiha bent over his heavy desk (heirloom, proof that the Uchiha Mansion had never been burned – and after Tobirama was done with Mito's tricks and Workings he would be sure it never would) alone in the fading light as he slipped out the door. Tobirama kept his face cool and calm as he moved down the hallway, at twenty one he was more than good enough to keep up with any of Madara’s other guards and it wasn’t like their Knacks would touch his - not that he had _any_ intention of ever letting on to the extent of his Knack, to anyone.

* * *

_Three years later_

Madara snarled with frustration and slammed his hand down on the table, pacing back and forth in the lavishly appointed meeting room in the sweeping lines of the Hyuuga Kinmokusei hotel tucked deep in the of glitzy heart of Konoha. He would never have chosen this as a meeting place but it had seemed like a good compromise for a meeting with the ever flighty Inuzuka (though odd, he had wondered when the Inuzuka developed any sort of faith in the Hyuuga and come to the idea that it must have been a hope that the long standing distaste between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha would keep things on balance and add to that the fact he wasn't sure the Inuzuka home was even ready for visitors after the fire that killed the last Family head) but now he was wondering if he had been played. Unthinkingly he glanced at Tobirama, his bodyguard leaning against the wall in his sleek dark pants and deep blue mandarin collar shirt with the black waist coat over it, tie and jacket missing as ever with that fur ruff still draped over his shoulders; the younger man’s sleeves were still rolled down and his face was calm and cool (he didn’t see it in himself but the fact was that Madara had long gotten used to looking to his guard for signs of stress – Tobirama was always right).

Madara sighed and leaned back on the table looking out of the window, trusting Tobirama to watch his back and the door as he looked out into the night and tugged at his thin leather gloves in an absent gesture of annoyance. Hmmm, now what? Was he jumping to conclusions? After all the Inuzuka had only missed the meeting and it had only been half an hour (a long time for him to wait but he had felt like being patient – now he didn’t), there was no real proof that there was anything going on here that Madara needed to be worried about but…fuck. Maybe he was getting paranoid, maybe he was getting to be like his father and would find himself just waiting for even his kin to kill him and – “Madara-sama,” Tobirama’s soft voice cut through his thoughts like a knife and Madara shifted a bit to show he was listening “how long do you want to wait?”

The Uchiha sighed and rubbed at his brow, willing to be more expressive in front of his ever present ghost “Why would they go to so much work and not show?” he asked the room, mostly rhetorically. It was just him and Tobirama in the room tonight, there were more guards around the room and his assistant waiting patiently at the door in a faintly provocative outfit (Ahmya was _gifted_ in distracting the right kind of men – and some women) but he had trusted to just have it be him and Tobirama in the room itself at least for now. The new head of the Inuzuka was young and in need of allies and Madara was willing to be one, something the Inuzuka couldn’t turn their noses up at as Madara was the biggest man in the city – country really, and no small fish internationally (part of his ongoing work on getting the Families out of the worst parts of crime, there was no need to get involved in human trafficking or the really bad drugs or any of that shit in Madara’s mind, the families should have _plenty_ of work in the gray areas and with Knacks that they had so much more of than civilians. Best to avoid things that would set a blood shade or curse or something, the Uchiha had enough of that and it had led to the Kagura clan getting wiped out by the other Families for being _fucking insane_ ).

And now that Madara thought about it like that that rather changed things didn’t it? There was no reason for Kaori Inuzuka to not show up for a meeting even if he had already allied with one of Madara’s enemies. “Tobirama-“ already moving the opening to the door interrupted Madara’s words as the albino called out to Ahmya, anticipating Madara’s needs as he so frequently did. “Boss?” Smirking Madara turned to look at the young woman, dressed in Uchiha indigo embroidered in gold phenoxies in a way that showed off her thin frame and long legs (Madara was never going to stop being impressed at the heels she and Kikiyo wore and _fought_ in), her blunt black bob without a hair out of place and her cat eye make up as clean as if she hadn't been waiting in uncomfortable places all morning, tasteful in the plush hotel (fucking Hyuuga and their egos). “Ahmya, send out an alert, I want to know why the Inuzuka didn’t show and get a table in the restaurant, might as well eat lunch while I’m here” she nodded and Madara sent a look at Tobirama out of the corner of his eyes taking in the slant of his head before speaking again “and maybe get Jiro ready as well, just in case” her eyes widened a bit at the mention of the doctor that Madara most often called on when there was going to be triage work done with the health unit (van, it was a van, a very nice van but still a van – not white though).

“Yes sir” she murmured and turned away already focused on her ever present phone as she did as he asked, Madara clocking the faint pleased shift to Tobirama’s shoulders and relaxing a bit subconsciously at it. “Dinner then?” he asked, glancing more fully at the albino and taking in the nod and faint hesitation “Ghost? Problem?” he asked more intently, shifting his center of gravity down as Tobirama’s lips tightened a bit. “Not at all, Madara-sama. Just – well, I have a sneaking suspicion my brother is down there” at that Madara felt his back go a bit straighter, he was already aware of the connection the Senju brothers shared where Tobirama always seemed to have an idea where Hashirama was and it wasn’t like this was the first time he had seen Hashirama since Tobirama had been the one that came to the mansion rather than the older Senju, but every time Madara was reminded of the broken promise. “Ah, well, I’m sure he’s already aware that I’m here or will be before too long, no reason to make him come find us and make a fuss” the Uchiha grumbled, turning and forcing himself not to stomp as he left the room, the rest of his detail falling in around him and Ahmya at his right and Tobirama at his left out of the way of his dominant hand.

As Madara stepped out in the restaurant he was met by an over groomed young man in a waiter’s outfit waving them to a slightly removed table set up just right to be a bit private and have a view of all egress as well as being clear enough line of sight for word to get out about whoever famous or important was visiting (fucking Hyuuga). With a small sigh Madara slid in to the chair and waved Ahmya down as well, wishing a bit that Izumi was here; the Yamanaka woman was nothing more than a friend with occasional benefits and good company that understood where Madara was coming from and the boundaries that included but she would have been a nice distraction for the wait and someone for the people to gossip about him being out with (Madara knew she loved it when the tabloids were talking abut her and used it for her modeling- and therefor the Yamanaka fashion empire- shamelessly and had even given her a ring to wave about if she wanted a few years ago, probably would have married her truly but, well, Madara was a romantic at heart when it came down to it). As it was he would have to do something to make it look less like he was here on business- not that it mattered but manners said he should at least _look_ like he was making an effort if nothing else- so maybe…well, the waiter certainly looked like he wanted a good fuck that might do.

(Seeing where Madara’s eyes were aimed Ahmya sent Tobirama a sympathetic look, well aware of the albino’s feelings for the boss- most of those that were his personal attendants were aware, hard not to be if you were around them for long enough, even Kagami had noticed eventually and he was just Madara’s ward- and got a faint quirk of the lips in response. Tobirama had never tried to pretend he didn’t… _care_ about their boss and he never tried to hide it from Ahmya or treated her like she was stupid, no he was well aware that neither she nor anyone else would ever say anything to the boss; they needed Tobirama too much and Madara’s feelings about the albino he called ‘Ghost’ had always been…odd. It baffled Ahmya how someone could trust a person so much and lean on them and listen to them and still ignore that they were a _person_ as well as a tool, but again their relationship was complicated – ah, in part because of him. As Ahmya stood to ‘take a call’ and let Hashirama Senju grab Madara into a tight hug- she was not planning to come back after all, better to let the boss talk to his friend alone-ish- she touched Tobirama’s arm in sympathy, well aware as everyone was that Madara hadn’t ended up with the brother he _wanted_ no matter how skilled Tobirama was.)

Tobirama smiled a bit as he met his brother’s eyes, seeing the same mixture of joy and guilt and conflict that he always had ever since Hashirama sent Tobirama instead of coming himself – never mind that he was far happier running the Senju estate with Mito far on the edges of Konoha and only coming into the city occasionally than he ever would have been following Madara into fire fights or the fact that he and Madara would have driven each other nuts (or Hashirama would have driven Madara nuts anyway, not that Tobirama expected Madara to see that, he had known where he stood in Madara’s regard in relation to his brother for a _long_ time). Still, it was good to see Hashirama and good to see Madara smile for a bit before whatever Tobirama could feel whispering on the edges of his mind crashed down over them; for now Tobirama would just be glad of that smile and relish it until he had to be part of taking it away (somehow Tobirama seemed to always take Madara’s smiles away, no matter how much he wish otherwise).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I write fast and don't edit much- this is a place for me to not have to worry too much about perfection and just enjoy it- so things can be mangled at times. (I've got a wonky brain that can't see symbols as well, so I frequently can't even see mistakes) That's not something that's likely to change any time soon, so if imperfect writing puts you off this probably isn't for you


	2. Chapter 2

Madara had to admit that lunch had turned out well and he was glad he had stayed, this was the best time he had had with Hashirama in a while; the sense of betrayal oddly softened tonight and Tobirama’s steady vigilance at his back steadying in a way Madara hadn’t expected (why had he always sent the younger man away when he talked to Hashirama before? Suddenly that seemed a bit silly with how much better it was now). Smirking Madara took another sip of wine as his last comment sent Hashirama into hysterics about his _very_ pregnant wife, hands waving and face flushed and _holy shit_ but Madara had forgotten that Hashirama was _this_ much of a disaster, poor Mito, the woman deserved an award for keeping this giant disaster mostly under control. A shift at his back had Madara tilting his head for Tobirama’s whisper before the other man even leaned down to murmur to him “The Inuzuka were found, Jiro is on his way to them but it might be best to bring them here for work” at the albino’s words Madara’s jaw went tight and calculations started as he stared at the info Ahmya handed him in her tablet, tapping her thigh slightly to indicate she was armed. “Brother” Tobirama’s hand was warm on his shoulder and Madara was only half listening as the albino spoke to the other Senju, sotto voce “you’ve had enough to drink, you should go home, you brought a driver I hope?” Hashirama blinked at his brother and his swaying became a bit more pronounced even as his eyes sharpened in Madara’s periphery and something passed between the brothers.

A second later a pout formed on Hashirama’s face and he sagged sniffing about his brother not loving him and calling for his car at the same time, his own bodyguard peeled themselves out of the shadows and moved closer to escort the Senju patriarch out to the car. Ryoma Senju nodded to Tobirama, his close cut dark hair and Senju tan skin warm in the light of the restaurant as he took Hashirama’s elbow and helped his clan leader up as though Hashirama was quite a bit more inebriated than he really was to Madara’s eye, clearly old hat at this excuse and Hashirama’s drooping; eye’s exasperated over his close cropped beard as he shared an eye roll with the amused maitre d'. “That bad?” Madara asked softly as he typed the last command into the tablet and leaned back in the chair waiting for the manager of the hotel to arrive so he could speak to him about using their room for the Inuzuka head (Madara was willing to bet that they had a _lot_ of medical equipment tucked away in here somewhere), “Madara-sama?” the question in Tobirama’s voice made Madara raise his eyebrows a bit and give the waiter another once over (not that he really wanted to the young man, he wasn’t really interested in anyone at the moment and hadn’t been for a while – ~~well except, sleek muscles moving under moonlight fair skin through the water in the mansion pool and~~ no. no. except _nothing)._

“You sent your bother away fast is all” he responded to Tobirama softly and a bit…unkindly (Madara was never very kind after thoughts about – no. thoughts about _nothing)_ and he felt Tobirama tense a bit behind him; “If I believed you were in very much danger I would not have said anything Uchiha-sama” (oh _fuck,_ last name, that was never good) “I am well aware of my brother’s use in a fight and would not put you in any danger if I believed _he_ could help” wait, that wasn’t just offence in his Ghost’s voice. Against his better judgment Madara snuck a glance over his shoulder, finding Tobirama tense behind him staring at the door and – was that _hurt_ in his eyes?! How-? “I – Tobirama” but whatever he was going to finish that with (and he wasn’t completely sure honestly) was interrupted when Ahmya came over with lips pressed tightly together and a grim look in her eyes, handing over the phone silently as Tobirama shifted closer – a steady solidity at Madara’s back as he read the report from Mikoto on the Inuzuka she had scrapped off the road and into the van for Jiro to take care of.

Luckily she had gotten to them before the emergency services (though it had been a _long_ time for them to go unfound in the city no matter where) so no one had to be extracted out of an unprotected hospital, but that was about the only good thing involved as far as she could tell. “Ahmya –“ “I already asked sister to send someone to get a look at things and see what forensics we can get as well as liaison with the police and she will be calling the Inuzuka compound so they know where their leader ended up” the woman interjected and Madara nodded, Kikiyo would make sure of those things well; normally he had Izuna for this sort of thing but with his little brother out of town more of that work had fallen on Kikiyo as his cousin was not only ferociously competent but completely trust worthy and at this point Tobirama had basically taken over Madara’s personal protection so that lightened that part of her load so she and her sister could handle the other things as needed. Gods but Madara was glad he had so much family he trusted so well and that Ahmya had survived the illness that nearly killed her as a child, it would have changed Kikiyo and no matter how strong she was he was sure his cousin would never have really moved on after a long lingering loss like that; but Ahmya had lived with the best medical care Uchiha money could buy (so, the best care any money could buy) and both his cousins would stand with him and Izuna no matter what, he was sure of that.

Madara handed the phone back with a nod, placing his napkin at the side of his plate as he stood and swept off the small rise the table was on, completely ignoring the waiter he had been eyeing earlier as he left to head to the room where Jiro was tending the leader of the Inuzuka (and missing Tobirama’s well hidden relief at that fact, or his even better hidden distaste when the man made as if to follow and try and engage only to meet frozen bloody eyes and pale). Which was it’s own sort of interesting now that Madara thought about it, why had Kaori come with so few guards and only _one_ car? Sure he was young and Madara was more important, but that was no reason not to take care of himself given how important the Inuzuka were in terms of drug packaging (funny how they had slowly slipped from training the best drug and police dogs in the business to figuring out the best way to fool those dogs, the Inuzuka were pros at playing both sides and watching how smart their dogs got every time they came up with a new hiding trick was always a treat; hell Madara had even considered getting a guard dog or two from them before but Tobirama had shown up with his giant Tibetan Mastiffs and that had filled that hole).

Still, it was interesting that they had been attacked they way they had, after all the attackers hadn’t taken Kaori or any of the others with them and hadn’t even killed the _dogs_ \- which everyone knew were more important to the Inuzuka than hired muscle- just roughed everyone up badly enough to be a bit of a maiming and then left. It was “A message” Madara murmured, as Tobirama shifted closer after handing Ahmya her phone back “For you” Tobirama responded equally softly and Madara’s lips tightened; that is what it looked like given everything, it was really the only thing that fit as things stood. Someone was trying to send Madara a message and warn others about allying with him, someone wanted his power undermined and thought they had found a way in; logical, everyone knew about Madara’s weakness for his family- close mostly but he did care for all Uchiha- but they also knew that Izuna, Kikiyo and Ahmya were _very_ hard to get at and well equipped at protecting themselves with their Knacks (and Izuna always had one of the Tibetan Mastiffs with him wherever he went, that helped him rather a lot) so if you wanted a way in Kaori was a logical jump.

Frustrated Madara nodded to the man at the Inuzuka’s door when they got to the right floor, clocking the continued absence of Hyuuga staff even after transferring to the floors that had the extra elevator in back for things like this. It wasn’t as though the Hyuuga Kinmokusei Hotel was a hub of the Families but they had rooms for celebrities and other VIPs that had more discrete entrances and extensive services and honestly Madara thought that that was part of why people came so much – just to get a glimpse of some famous heiress or actor or Idol, even better if they were related to the shadow side of Konoha in some way! (Madara was frequently in the top five of the various ‘Most Handsome Bachelor in Konoha!’ awards, honestly he was regularly in first place though he didn’t like it, especially after Hashirama got married.) The thing was that while it wasn’t like there was a _lot_ of staff running around and always a bit less in the more exclusive rooms this was _still_ less than normal and while that could be a function of the hour or Madara (or Tobirama, the Ghost tended to freak people out) or the blood but still…

Sighing Madara set that on the back burner as he let an increasingly tense Tobirama slide past him and check the room before entering himself, well used to Tobirama’s caution at this point. A moment later he was waved in and looked around at the room and the controlled chaos Jiro was controlling swirling through the room with a focus on three figures on a bed in the middle of the room and one perched on the end of the bed; the most badly hurt- Kaori’s assistant and two of his bodyguards- had already been moved to a trusted hospital for the intensive care needed and Kaori himself would be taken over as soon as Madara had finished talking to him the remaining two guards and the driver. At the foot of the bed Madara stopped to look over the two dogs lying next to it looking doped up on pain meds- both looked ok to Madara’s admittedly untrained eye- and then focused on the sitting driver, apparently the least hurt in the mess; “You are?” under his gaze the woman – girl really, with the same look as Kaori though she had put too much work into taming her wild Inuzuka hair, a close relative then maybe? “I – I - Kaiyo Inuzuka sir” she forced out, quailing the longer he stared at her which was at least better than the way she was refusing to look at Tobirama at all; gods Kaori needed better minions.

“I see, well then while don’t you tell me what happened Kaiyo?” the Uchiha murmured, letting his Knack bleed into his eyes and capture her lightly in thin filaments to draw out the story as clearly and quickly as possible without having to maneuver around her shyness.


	3. Chapter 3

An hour later Madara leaned back in the chair Tobirama had produced for him as Kaiyo and the one awake guard gulped the water Jiro had given them, tapping to his chin with one gloved finger as he thought it through; aware that Kaori had woken and was doing his best to watch Madara without giving on that he was awake (it was a good thing he was cute honestly, brat). Everything he had heard so far was painting an image that Madara didn’t like very much and did raise the question about how far reaching the fingers of the Shimura were; Daisuke had had it out for Madara ever since the Uchiha reclaimed the territory they had lost to the Shimura’s grasping fingers, unwilling to acknowledge the reminder that the Uchiha and the Senju ran the shadows of Konoha (well, the Senju were in and out of the shadows and fairly gray even before Hashirama pulled the family back to linger on the Estate and focus on the teaching of nurturing of Knacks and their Crafts), the Shimura were interlopers here and Madara was getting more and more annoyed by their arrogance.

“It was Shimura wasn’t it?” he asked abruptly into the quiet room, opening his eyes to grab Kaori’s gaze as the younger man’s eyes flew open in surprise; locking him in Madara’s dark purple-red eyes, the color lighting in them brighter as his strong Knack stirred in them in a soft threat he was sure the Inuzuka head understood a lot better than his driver had. Kaori swallowed hard but to his credit he didn’t drop his eyes even as he shrunk a bit in the sheets, “I – think so, they didn’t have a message to pass on exactly but…” Madara nodded, yes, there wasn’t that many people that had the ability to pull something like this and with everything else, well. “Tell me Kaori, now that the Shimura have attacked you to make a point to me what will you do?” at his bland question the young man’s chin came up and his pride seemed to resurrect itself a bit “I’m an Inuzuka, we don’t follow those who think to teach with beatings; lessons taught like that never last and the hand that beats will eventually get bit – besides, I don’t think I’m wrong when I say that you’re not going to let this go so it’s not like they’ll be a problem long” at that the Uchiha barked a laugh, tipping his head back in mirth and pleased with the answer. Still smirking Madara caught Tobirama’s eyes before he looked back at the Inuzuka, pleased to see the calm in the red depths; Tobirama was wary and worried about something but it wasn’t in this room if his stance was anything to go on. Fine, Kaori wasn’t a concern and given that best to get him out and to a safe hospital and back to his own people- Kikiyo could deal with that- and Madara could focus on rooting out the threads that the Shimura had tried to get in under the Uchiha’s omnipresence in Konoha, father should never have let it get this far and Madara was going to _end_ it.

The Uchiha sighed and covered his mouth with his hand for a thoughtful moment as the younger man squirmed under the over bright gaze for a long moment before looking away with a soft snort “Alright, Mikoto will take you to a trusted hospital – not the one where the rest of your men are unfortunately, best to keep it diverse for now, and she will stay in contact with you until things are sorted. I don’t particularly like having you used against me all things considered and it seems this is something I need to deal with sooner rather than later so if you think of anything else call, otherwise heal up and we will speak later” at those words Kaori nodded with clear relief. Madara rose and clapped his shoulder gently before turning to leave with Tobirama ghosting closely at his back as he passed on orders and Ahmya tapped away at her phone; as they stepped out Tobirama slipped around front, eyes darting over the other guards as he did as going even tenser to Madara’s growing concern.

Eyeing his guard and closest companion as they stepped into the first and more public of two elevators needed to get to the parking garage Madara let the silence linger for a moment before speaking “It’s a good thing they were brought here instead of an unsafe hospital where the Shimura could get to them” Madara observed blandly; the Shimura had long ago gotten tangled in every hospital they could in the city, by any means they could, and Madara wouldn’t send one of his people to any Shimura infiltrated facility unless he wanted them _dead_ (and when had the Inuzuka become one of his anyway?). “Interesting how long it took for emergency services to arrive, almost as if they –“ his words were cut off with a snarl as Tobirama grabbed his bicep and yanked him back from where he was about to enter the second the elevator, but his frustration didn’t last when he saw the rigid look on Tobirama’s sharp face and registered the over-tight grip of his hand.

Madara dropped his center of gravity and looked around, trying to figure out what had triggered Tobirama and seeing nothing off in the well lit corridor; this was the private side of the hotel set up to allow VIPs to leave (or have company over) discreetly and it was no surprise to have it be quiet so what-? At his side Tobirama waved two guards over, all of them on high alert with Tobirama’s tension, “Take the elevator, but have your guard up and anticipate fire when the door opens, Madara-sama and I will take the stairs with the rest” grim faced the woman nodded (clever, Tobirama had chosen two with a Knack for luck and avoiding getting hit in a fire fight; with that and the Kevlar they should be alright) “wait till you get the signal, otherwise you’ll get down before us” “Yes sir” both said gravely. Tobirama turned to Ahmya and the driver and told them to come down a bit slower and alert the Family, backup might be needed but both of them were a bit weaker in a fight comparatively and not targets apparently and then nodded to the other two guards who headed to the stairs first, hands already on guns loosened in holsters as the albino turned to Madara with a raised brow, waiting to see if Madara agreed and would do as asked and the Uchiha just - looked at him for a moment. What was Tobirama doing? Sure it was a bit odd how few Hyuuga Madara had seen and that Kaori had been ambushed the way he had but the sudden wariness of the elevator specifically…. Maybe it was just that the private garage would be the most discreet of places to place an ambush? Intuition and deduction perhaps, and yet…

There had always been something a bit, _unusual_ about Tobirama and while Madara knew it must have to do with a strong Knack he had never figured out what that Knack could be; luck, he thought after the second firefight when Tobirama moved in the way of a bullet meant for Madara at just the right time, but he had never heard of a luck Knack that effected other people and not just the person with the Knack (in fact the people around those with luck Knacks sometimes ended up worse off as bad luck was deflected off the Knack wilder and on to those around them). The other option…inside info disguised as a Knack, it wouldn’t be the first time that had happened even with the oaths to keep and unlike Hashirama Madara wasn't sure he trusted Tobirama to actually care about Madara _personally_ and if Madara was his father he would have put a bullet in Tobirama’s back already and dealt with the question in a definitive manner and yet (a blanket over his shoulders whenever he fell asleep at his desk, food and drink forced in front of him if it had been too long, steady gentle hands wrapping his wounds, cool headed advice and insight and dry comments that had Madara laughing when he needed it the most) Madara just…couldn’t.

The Uchiha sighed and waved his guard ahead of him, not bothering to ignore the slight drop of the narrow shoulders as he did; clearly Tobirama had been aware of what Madara was thinking, and yet exposed his back to the Uchiha anyway – why couldn’t the man just make sense?! Whatever, Madara could think about that later – or not, he had lots of things related to Tobirama that he didn’t think about; it was safer that way. Shoving distractions to the side Madara followed Tobirama into the stairwell, checking his sidearm in his shoulder holster but not taking it out in case he needed his hands free in the stairs – it wouldn’t do him any good to drop the damn thing and lose it when he needed it. Ahead of him Tobirama was moving swiftly but silently down the stairs, the other two guards about a floor ahead of them and moving with clear intent as they checked door and alcoves in the stairs to make sure Madara didn’t get jumped from behind as they moved down. One floor from the bottom Tobirama stopped as the other guards took places on either side of the door, pulling out his phone Tobirama sent a message to the guards in the elevator and started the car through the controls on his phone, turning to murmur to Madara “When the gunfire starts I’ll bring the car to the stairs as close as I can, get inside and go to the entrance of the garage then switch to my bike. Yuuka will get to the door and open the car, she’ll take it out and in a roundabout way back to the Mansion as a distraction while you get away on the bike” startled Madara glanced down at where his two other guards were waiting, Yuuka’s large warm eyes were grave and her cutsie fluffy hair was shoved behind her ears out of her face with uncharacteristic messiness.

He cocked a brow at her and she nodded firmly, Madara bit back a sigh and sent up a prayer that he wouldn’t get Hikaku’s girlfriend killed; his cousin wouldn’t kill him, but things would be pretty miserable for a while with the seneschal grieved (and…well, Madara didn’t want his cousin to get hurt either). Resigned he looked back at Tobirama and nodded, it was a sound plan in terms of getting Madara out safest and give him a chance to fight on his own terms if he was followed; after all Madara could more than take care of himself even if he let others do it normally. Tobirama sent him a faint smile and turned to head down the rest of the way, tapping on his phone as he went, Yuuka’s ear to the door and the other guard watching the stairs above them for tails until the sudden sound of gunfire sounded outside and Madara felt his jaw go tight. A second later Tobirama nodded and the door was thrown open and Yuuka and the other guard dived out, Yuuka headed straight toward the car swinging into sight and diving into the passenger door as it opened automatically while the gunfire from the elevator increased.

Swearing Madara let Tobirama put a hand on his back and maneuver between him and where the fighting was, shoving both of them into a crouching run toward the car with Tobirama’s red eyes focused tightly on the gunfire, swearing when the other guard went down in twisted angle Madara could tell was fatal even from the distance. The passenger door wasn’t far when Tobirama shoved Madara down behind a pilon a second before bullets crashed into the wall behind where Madara’s head should have been; clearly they had realized where Madara was and it was only Tobirama’s uncanny ability to know where he needed to be that had kept the older man alive. For three years Madara had watched Tobirama use his shocking speed and ability to anticipate danger to get through even the bloodiest of firefights with little more than some scratches and a bit banged up; not to say that he was never wounded, but he was never critical even when he really should have been – and neither was Madara as long as he was with Tobirama and listened to what he had to say.

Because of that Madara’s eyes were close on Tobirama as the younger man peered over the pilon and took a few shots, less concerned than he could have been and – well, seems Madara had his answer to whether he trusted Tobirama after all. Tobirama took another shot and then ducked down, glancing at Madara (there was something odd about his eyes) and licking his lips before cocking his head, shifting a bit closer and plucking some of Madara’s hair from where it had gotten stuck on a blasted bit of pylon, the long callused fingers lingering a bit on the dark strands before Tobirama nodded abruptly “My bike, it’s started already from the app and Kikiyo should be patched in to the helmet” he remined Madara, voice low under the sharp retort of gunfire. Madara frowned and nodded, a bit confused; why was Tobirama talking like -? But then he was being shoved sharply to get him moving toward the car and open door, shouting starting abruptly indistinct as Tobirama all but threw him into the car; Madara twisting at the last minute, shocked at the sudden force just in time to seem Tobirama twist and crumple as he was hit what looked like three time in fast succession, the car door closing before the albino hit the ground. 

“ _NO!”_ Madara was shocked at the sound that ripped itself out of his throat and he wrenched at the door handle, trying to get it open desperately and swearing as the locks engaged and Yuuka slammed on the gas, throwing the car away from the curb and the downed Tobirama. Snarling Madara whirled on the woman, demanding to go back thoughtlessly “I can’t boss, promised I’d get you to the bike and out of here. Not much you can do for him either, if ours win they’ll get him out to the hospital and Ahmya was calling for back up, remember? Mikoto is with the Inuzuka too, they’ll get Tobirama out boss, you know they will” the ‘if they can’ hung in the air as Yuuka slammed roughly through gears (oh right, this was why she wasn’t the driver normally…) and Madara felt a chill creeping through him, she was right of course; Tobirama was already down and there was nothing Madara could do for him without throwing Tobirama’s sacrifice in his face by putting himself in danger that backup coming behind him couldn’t also do.

“When you get back” he said finally as the entrance to the garage where Tobirama had left his bike approached and Yuuka slowed a bit “you’re going to help me fix this. It’s time to send a message” the door clicked open and he pushed it open as Yuuka spoke in a tentative voice, “Message boss?” “Yes” he responded, voice bitter cold “no one touches the Ghost but _me_ ”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter count is a guess, have to check and see if I can do wrap up in one more chp


	4. Chapter 4

Madara stared out the window, over still to keep from pacing and raging as reports came in about the Shimura movement and none of them included any information about Tobirama; it had been nearly five hours and all the Inuzuka and his other men were accounted for though two had died in the ambush but there was no word or sign of Tobirama but a blood stain on the concrete. Behind him the door swung open and Madara watched Hashirama’s reflection slump into the room, even his energy gone after spending four hours fretting (not in here, Madara had exiled him hours ago not needing the distraction while he was working on setting up the operation on the Shimura), coldly Madara watched the Senju crumple into a chair. “He has some kind of precog doesn’t he” the Uchiha’s cold voice was sharp in the dim room and Hashirama jumped in the leather seat on the other side of the heavy Dalbergia wood desk; for a moment Madara thought that he was going to deny it but eventually the Senju covered his face with a hand for a long moment before speaking.

“Yes. Well – not precog in the way you mean with just hunches or needing to devine, he’s a Seer, a strong one, which is much rarer” Madara tucked away his shock at this pronouncement, yes, a _Seer_ is very different from a Knack with precog or divination; a Seer is in a whole other league. “I know you wondered why I chose to send him to you instead of come myself as I promised; Tobi…Tobi was part of it. I won’t lie to you Madara, I was already realizing that I should never have made you that promise, I could never have kept it the way I should and honestly I would have been awful as your ghost. Can you imagine having me around twenty four seven? Do you think I would be any good at it or even your friend by the end of a year? I should have known myself better than to make that promise or at least told you the truth but I…couldn’t, my pride was too big, so even after meeting Mito and realizing how bad I would be for you I was still going to keep my promise and make us both miserable.” A stab of pain shot through Madara at that, not that Hashirama was _wrong_ but there had been a long time when Madara had made the older Senju into this _ideal_ for so long that it hurt to hear this like that (it shoved holes into the walls he had put up around thinking about Tobirama, he had clutched at his hurt pride and feelings and tried to pretend it was Tobirama’s fault Hashirama hadn’t come rather than think the Senju didn’t want Madara or pay attention at the too-good thing in front of him and now…) “And Tobirama?” he croaked out.

Hashirama twisted his fingers and spoke in a quiet voice, “He's a Seer, for years it's his foreknowledge that kept the Senju growing and safe and when he came to me eventually and told me he would take my place how could I argue? He had seen something- I don’t know what- and came to me to say he would be your guard and keep you safe; you know that fight with the drug runners from Sand? You were going to die then you know, or could have. So today…he knew what would happen Madara, I don't know why he only knew so late in the day but he knew and he chose to take the bullet rather than you; he knows best, he always does” Madara stared down at his hands on the windowsill, clenching tighter and tighter as he tried to stop the shaking. Of all the things he could have imagined -! And he had spent so long refusing to acknowledge the one person that could have been what he wanted in his life out of pride and hurt and fear, and now Tobirama was gone from him; _taken_ from him. No, no. Madara wasn’t going to let this happen, Tobirama was _his_ , had always been, and Madara was going to get him back – and this time he was going to make sure Tobirama did everything he could to _stay._ It wasn’t good enough for Tobirama to just keep Madara safe anymore, he had to keep himself with Madara, where he _belonged_.

“Madara?” Hashirama’s tentative voice jarred him out of his thoughts and he spun the the large desk, throwing open drawers and pulling out his guns, strapping them on again and pulling out the small satchel from under the false bottom, pulling out a small wooden box and a crystal vial older than he was. “Madara?” Hashirama asked again as Madara opened the box and careful reached up, sliding the contacts out of his eyes and feeling the fine threads of the Working snap as the veil on his over-powered Knack was removed (like Tobirama was a Seer which was more than just a precog Knack, Madara was an Enchanter which is more than just a Knack for entrapping or entrancing, _much_ more). Careful Madara returned the contacts to the box and carefully tipping a few drops from the crystal vial into his eyes to clear the last Working away and unshackle the full force of his power for this first time in a _very_ long time.

“Madara?” it was a croaking whisper as the Uchiha opened his eyes and met Hashirama’s eyes, the other man’s face draining of color as his brown eyes met shifting purple; where the Uchiha’s dark eyes had been- whites and all- it was now like looking into the heart of a nebula, circles within circles in vast spaces and endless time beckoning to him until Madara blinked and let Hashirama’s gaze go, leaving the Senju shivering and thrown despite his own powerful Knack. “I’m getting him back Hashirama, it’s about time people remember that they have power at my leisure and my leisure alone. Tobirama is _mine_ , it seems some people need to be made aware of that” he purred, shrugging into his suit jacket and tugging on the cuffs to make sure it was all laying neatly; no reason to look like a mess while teaching a lesson, Tobirama wouldn’t approve after all.

Hashirama didn’t say anything after that though he quietly followed Madara as the Uchiha left the room, tying his hair up in a high tail as he went to keep it from getting in the way and gathering his guards, Kikiyo retaking her place as his point guard instead of his majordomo as she had been since Tobirama was trusted to take over care of Madara’s guard in her place. Grim faced Kikiyo held open his door and slid in after him, Hashirama following them and the other cars with Uchiha men and women all armed to the teeth as around the city Uchiha and their allies rallied and converged on any and every Shimura or Shimura related base; by dawn there wouldn’t be a Shimura Family left, Madara was going to be _damn_ sure of that.

* * *

Six hours later just before midnight Madara took a handkerchief from Kikiyo, amused to see her elegant cream pantsuit was still pristine as he discarded the pair of gloves he was wearing for a clean pair provided by Ahmya, the younger sister dressed rather more sensibly for dirty work - though still in the heels and cat eye makeup. “Now then” the Uchiha purred, turning on Daisuke Shimura bleeding out on the ground, his face a rictus of pain and anger “this is when I would _normally_ ask you where you put my Ghost but see, he’s _mine_ and you have rather _pissed me **off** _by taking him from me; so instead” smirking and radiating anger the Uchiha prowled closer and leaned down, grabbing Daisuke’s jaw in a vice grip and peeling his eyes open with the other until the man had no choice but to meet Madara’s eyes. In seconds the man was lost, vacant and drooling as Madara dropped him with disgust and stormed to the door, ignoring the scurrying of people around him and the blood splashed over the walls or dropped eyes as people backed away in fear of the Uchiha and his nebula eyes; Madara didn’t care, he knew where his Tobirama was and everything else didn’t matter.

Nothing mattered but the chair in the dark underground room where Tobirama was tied, stripped naked in the frigged room and slumped over streaked with blood and clearly not completely conscious. With a guttural noise Madara rushed to the battered man, stripping off his jacket as he went and draping it over the younger man’s lap, hands fluttering over Tobirama’s body but not knowing where he could touch without hurting the albino until his hands settled on the sharp but blessedly unbroken jaw and tipping Tobirama’s face up, crooning as frosty lashes flickered, “There, you go, there we are, com’on back to me, com’on back To’ra” the albino’s breathing stuttered and a thin line of red appeared under his lashes, a tiny confused furrow in his brow suddenly reminding Madara that Seers only ever had one vision of themselves; their deaths (Tobirama wouldn’t have known Madara was coming for him, he couldn’t have known). “’dara?” the soft slur made something in Madara unclench and with a hitching relived noise he pressed their brows together for a moment before straightening to take the slimmer man into his arms as Kikiyo got him untied and nodded that his spine was intact and he was good to carry.

Carefully Madara wrapped the jacket around Tobirama’s hips and bundled the younger man into his arms, lips pressed together in an old frustration at how light the albino was; well, now that he wasn’t pretending he didn’t notice Tobirama he could at least do something about that so that was something. Maybe hand feeding? Hmm, that was _promising._ (Madara was a selfish man, and a possessive one; if Tobirama was his- and he **_was_** \- then all he was was Madara’s and Madara was his – Tobirama deserved nothing less.)

“is he going to be ok?” Ahmya asked softly backing up to let Madara angle Tobirama out the door, the white head lolling on his shoulder mostly unconscious, “He had better be” Madara respond, almost cheery and _dripping_ malice “or what mercy I have shown so far can quickly be withdrawn” and he had shown mercy; any that were in the hierarchy or close to the head (or that had a bad reputation) were dead or would be soon but those that had been just taking jobs or had no loyalty to Daisuke would have the option of renouncing the name and submitting to Izuna and his Knack for… _adjusting attitudes_ and being allowed to live. But anyone that had even _breathed_ on Tobirama was going to die, _painfully_ , at Madara’s hand if possible, and it was just as well if the rest of them understood that their position was precarious, they had better hope that Tobirama recovered – quickly and completely.

“Madara, give him here, let me take him to Jiro, he needs a doctor and you’re not done yet” blinking Madara looked up at his little brother and second, wondering when Izuna had even gotten back to Konoha as he tucked Tobirama closer on instinct “Madara, he needs medical help and you have to finish this if you don’t want them to be a danger later” at the second prodding Madara realized that behind brother was a stretcher and emergency personnel. He wasn’t wrong, Tobirama did need help but Madara couldn’t leave him, what if he wasn’t safe? What if -? Izuna and Tobirama got along with some difficulty and could Madara trust his brother with his Tobirama? “Izu-“ “You have my Word he’ll be safe and right were you can find him” Madara wondered if he should feel bad about doubting his brother enough to need Izuna to give his Word but he just…didn’t, Tobirama was _his_. Reluctantly the Uchiha surrendered his albino onto the stretcher, prying his fingers away with great difficulty after Tobirama made a small pathetic sound as he was removed from Madara’s warmth. Gently crooning to him until Tobirama subsided and an EMT slid an IV in and the drugs took him under; heart aching and angry Madara fixed his starscape eyes on the EMT and bound them ruthlessly to Tobirama’s health and wellness before stepping back unhappily, nodding to his grim faced brother as Izuna turned and followed the stretcher out, leaving Madara to the cleanup.

* * *

It was well into the next day when Madara was finally done with the last of the main Shimura bases and had passed the physical clean up off to Hikaku and the Inuzuka- who were more than happy to help after the attack on their leader and the grim revelation that the former head of their family had died in a Shimura plot as well as orchestrating the hit on Kaori to send Madara a message- and a few other allies, including the Senju and a grim faced Hashirama who was taking his brother’s wounds quite badly. A call hours ago had promised that though Tobirama was in a bad way he would recover with time, there had been more attention paid to pain than maiming and it was the bullet wounds that had done the most in terms of lasting damage; with physical therapy and care he would recover and in his new position as consort to the Uchiha boss he would have nothing but the best (not that he wouldn’t have before, but now that Madara wasn’t trying to pretend he was more than a bit in love with the younger man the…volume would be rather different. Madara might have worried about how Tobirama would take it but well, he would just have to woo his ghost and convince him to stay close; if others were to be believed it might not be too hard, if Tobirama – if Tobirama _already cared about him_ , well, Madara would just have to treat him right from here on out).

With a sigh the Uchiha boss tugged on his cuffs and glanced at his image in the elevator mirror to make sure the new suit coat was lying straight and his once again down hair was mostly neat-ish, shadowing his glowing eyes as they blazed with the full power of an angry Enchanter. Satisfied he slipped on the third clean pair of gloves that day as a soft chime heralded his destination, Ahmya tapping away on her phone and once more dressed in a neat sheath dress as Kikiyo tucked a nonexistent strand of hair back into her traditional twist, both women looking amusingly unthreatening next to his looming danger. The traditional and well appointed hallway opened into a sweeping waiting room with tall, floor to ceiling window off to one side looking over the city as at the desk a pretty Hyuuga girl tapped away on a thin computer next to a tall vase full of Kinmokusei in full flower, the soft scent of the sweet Osmanthus filling the room; it was all very elegant and lovely and tasteful and if they made it hard for Madara to talk to the Hyuuga head it _would not stay that way_.

As if sensing that thought Ahmya swept forward with intentional clicks of her heels on the polished wood flooring that made the receptionist wince (those would leave marks) even as she tired to focus on the monitor and not acknowledge the Uchiha and Madara – well, he _should_ let Ahmya deal with this but frankly he was _done_ with this disrespect and with a snarl he stepped forward loudly enough she looked up and met his eyes on reflex, freezing as he caught her and trapped her in an enchantment. Leaving her behind blinking hypnotically into the distance and blowing past her into the Hyuuga’s office, shooting one body guard in the foot and trapping the other in an enchantment before turning his rage on the bleached white Hyuuga boss who was very carefully not meeting Madara’s shinning eyes. “Now then, I am rather… _unhappy_ with you Hyuuga, I am afraid I was unhappy with you _before_ but now, well, I dislike being treated with disrespect you know and your _manners_ are lacking Hyuuga, did you intend that?” vigorously the man shook his head, glance behind Madara as Kikiyo drifted in and smiled a demure red smile at him, the sight of the Red Crane making him look even sicker.

“No, no Uchiha-sa-sama, _Enchanter_ , no disrespect was intended!” the shaking words made Madara want to roll his eyes, he normally thought of the Hyuuga as someone that was relatively dignified, turned out that the sight of an Enchanter was all it took to shattered that. “Good,” Madara rumbled, lounging in the chair across the desk and smiling with teeth “in that case you understand why I want to have a conversation about an ambush in one of your hotels, _this_ hotel in fact. Because it rather bothers me that the Hyuuga claim to be neutral and yet allows such a thing to happen under their noses, I’m sure you understand. _Especially_ since I take the wounding of **my** consort rather poorly” by the end of his speech the Hyuuga was sweating and gray and his nod was helpless and weak under Madara’s gaze; good, it was about time Madara stopped playing nice.

* * *

It was late enough by the time everything was done that Madara barely had time to do more than slump onto the couch in Tobirama’s hospital room and drop off to sleep with the monitors lulling him with promises of Tobirama’s health. In the morning Madara woke long enough to make sure everything was set up to move Tobirama to the Mansion without risking him before falling asleep again curled on the bed next to Tobirama in the room across from Madara’s (what Madara _really_ wanted was to tuck Tobirama in _his_ bed but he could be a bit patient for Tobirama if he had to, a bit); with the albino attached to all the monitors and IVs, a nurse and Jiro near there was little concern that Tobirama wouldn’t be taken care of alight and he would be near Madara where he was safer and less bored. He knew his ghost well enough to know Tobirama’s boredom was a formidable thing and keeping him close was the best way to watch the resulting fireworks and screaming, Madara _did_ love fireworks and screaming.

Shortly before dawn when Tobirama stirred for the first time as the drugs in his system started to ease up and Madara was woken by the pained gasp and whimper, scrambling to sit and lean over the younger man without a thought as he combed his finger through the thick white hair. “Shh, shh, you’re alright To’ra” he crooned, heart _yanking_ as Tobirama dizzily nuzzled into his hand “there you are pretty one. Hello,” Tobirama stared sleepily up at him, mouth still a bit lax with sleep and drug; soft and yielding in a way that made the possessive greedy thing in Madara’s heart _snarl._ “’dar?” the albino slurred softly and Madara couldn’t help the smirk at that, or stopped himself from leaning closer – and then closer still when Tobirama tipped his sharp chin up in a silent but unmistakable demand for a kiss; it was…. _sublime_. Madara had intended to keep it chaste and short in deference to Tobirama’s injuries but that was clearly not an intention Tobirama shared and the only thing saving Madara’s sanity at all was that Tobirama was still drugged enough to be a bit slow and lax (it didn’t help that much, not when mumbled words between happy subvocal sounds as he licked at Madara’s mouth revealed the belief that this was a dream and maybe the end of one which Madara wonder if it was possible to fuck Tobirama into something like this, easy and yielding with pleasure and satisfaction _Madara_ gave him. The idea was _inflammatory_ and Madara was already sure that anything with Tobirama would be far better than it had ever been before with anyone else – if this was anything to go by it might be _dangerously_ good really).

With deep reluctance Madara drew back, holding Tobirama down with a hand on his collarbone so he didn’t stretch his healing wounds, unable to stop himself from undignified cooing when Tobirama pouted up at him with bitten red lips, “Gods you're lethal pet, I feel a bit dim for fighting so hard now, not going to lie” he said gruffly, relived to see Tobirama’s eyes clearing more as Madara stroked the soft but bruised skin of his elegant neck. “’da- Madara-sama?” Tobirama grated out looking like it hurt, he had clearly been choked badly from the bruising coming in and there was only so much that could be done about soft tissue damage even with a sturdy healing Knack and minor Workings in the salves and tinctures in addition to the medications and antibiotics coursing through Tobirama’s exhausted body – the only good thing was that Working made salves and tinctures while a lot more expensive were much safer pain relief than opiates and with both in his system Tobirama shouldn’t be in too much pain right now. “Hey,” he murmured, not moving back to give the other man room at all “don’t talk, you got strangled pretty good and its going to hurt for a while to talk. I’m ok, so is most everyone else, we lost a half dozen Family maybe but only three of those were some I knew personally, so you probably didn’t know that them that well either. The Shimura aren’t going to be a problem anymore either, after they took you I – well, rather raised it to the ground” the shock on Tobirama’s face _hurt_ and Madara sighed, brushing back a snowy lock of hair.

“I – well, after you were taken I spoke with Hashirama; he told me why you came instead of him” and Tobirama stiffened looking away without moving his head as his neck clearly twinged painfully “hey, hey none of that! Fuck, I’m not mad or something, oh that’s it? You think I’m going to be mad? Because Hashirama didn’t come” a tiny jerking nodded and continued refusal to look up, making Madara aware that until now Tobirama _had_ been meeting his eyes fearlessly – the eyes Madara had yet to put his contacts back in. _Fuck Tobirama._ Madara shifted a bit and sighed, trying to organize his thoughts “I’m not – I won’t lie and say I wasn’t upset or that I didn’t take that out on you, but – aw hell, I never should have taken that out on you and Hashirama should have told me earlier what was going on, even if he avoided saying anything about the fact that you’re a Seer and not just a precog Knack; which is tentatively what I thought you were I admit. But damnit, am I supposed to be upset a _Seer_ saw something in me worth going so far to keep alive? Or upset you care about me just because I have admittedly gone out of my way to not let myself ever look at you head on? I know I haven’t been…kind about all this but I’m not a kind man pet; a just one I hope, but I lost _kind_ a long time ago.”

If anything Tobirama looked more confused, but he was meeting Madara’s eyes again! (Come to think of it, Tobirama had probably always known about Madara’s nature, he had probably Seen it at some point and never once changed how he treated Madara for it when so many others feared an Enchanter _deeply_ ) “I don’t understand” he breathed in a barely there voice that made something angry stir in Madara’s gut again. Carefully the Uchiha breathed past it till the fury faded and he could keep his touch gentle and soft on bruised skin, “I know, I can see that, I – well, I haven’t made it easy for you” oh gods what was he going to do when he realized that everyone was calling him Madara’s consort?...eh, Tobirama was smart, he’d sort it out if Madara didn’t have a chance to make things clear first “but we have time for me to make thing clearer” (like Madara was no longer going to be sleeping with anyone else, shit if you looked at his partners in the last year and change they had all had a more than passing resemblance to Tobirama anyway – and after that kiss Madara was _not_ worried about chemistry) “but you? are _mine_ Tobirama, and if you promise me that I’ll be yours and take care of you like no other could”.

Tobirama blinked confused red eyes up at Madara, “But I have always been your ghost” he mumbled and Madara snorted to hide the much deeper twist of emotion the words prompted, leaning in for a chaste brush of lips. “Yes, I see that now pet; I see that now.”


	5. Chapter 5

Madara couldn’t help the small smirk as he leaned over his paperwork in the slanting afternoon sun, the scratch of his pen no longer offset by the soft turning of pages from the new settee as the gaze on Madara grew heavier and more constant over time. Madara _loved_ the way Tobirama watched him and he was _maybe_ showing off a bit, it had nothing to do with feeling a bit of balance himself and nothing to do with trying to capitalize on Tobirama’s confusion until they had an actual conversation; the conversation Madara was more and more reluctant to take part in. “Madara-sama” this conversation, the Uchiha hesitated and then set down his pen with a sigh- he owed Tobirama his focus on this conversation- and stood, moving to sit in the tall armchair placed in the corner of the large office with the settee and a small table _covered_ in books that the blanket and fur swathed occupant of the settee had been burning through at an alarming rate. “Madara-sa-“ “I said you could call me Madara pet” the Uchiha interrupted, shoving down a wince at the raised eyebrow that got him; gods, finally admit you…care about someone and next thing you know they have all this power over you no matter what you intended (it was part of why Madara had tried so hard for so long not to let Tobirama have any sway in his heart, he had feared giving the albino that much power over him – turns out as a Seer Tobirama had always had it, Seers were feared for a reason).

“ _Madara-sama”_ Tobirama leveled him with a sharp look, his red eyes only a bit glassy with pain and drugs after almost a week; not that he was fully healed but he was determined to get off the pain medication quickly as he could – he said he hated not being able to think in a straight line down a chain of hypothetical causation, personally Madara just loved the six minor Workings Tobirama had thrown together since he got hurt and was more than looking forward to Izuna’s face when the new hex bag against date rape drugs made him smell of mustard and collect possums anywhere he went instead (it was unusual for someone without a Working based Knack to make them, but then again Tobirama was a Senju and they were famous dabblers and Madara was fairly sure Mito was more than just a Knack with hex bags and charms- especially against malicious energy or intent- and was a full on Sorceress, so it wasn’t surprising that she might have taught Tobirama some things). “Madara-sama, what is going on with you? I know the Shimura are out of the picture-“ Tobirama’s words hitched a touch and his pupils pinned lightning fast before returning to normal “-and I get that you heard about my…Knack, but that doesn’t explain your behavior towards me”. Madara licked his lips and looked away for moment, sorting through his thoughts before speaking “You’re…mine” he finally said helplessly only to jump when Tobirama _snarled_.

“I’m your bodyguard, as I have _always_ been Madara, you don’t need to keep such a close eye on me just because you found out I am a Seer, that doesn’t change my commitment to you!” the frustration in Tobirama’s voice was bright and sharp and his gaze on Madara was as steady and sure as it had always been – the same surety that had pushed Madara not to put the delicate contacts back in his eyes to shield his power. “It’s not –“ Madara growled and jumped to his feet pacing under that bright garnet gaze “-you’re _mine_ Tobirama” he forced out wishing he knew how to better put it “you’re mine, not just my bodyguard or ghost or _Seer_ , you are **mine!** ”

“I have always been yours Madara!" Tobirama snapped right back "Ever since I Saw you first as a child and Saw the man you could be if you had a chance I have been yours, why do you doubt that now when you never have before?! You never cared about anything but a ghost before and knowing I have more power wouldn’t change that, you’re too smart for that. So what is it? Is it that I didn’t See the ambush soon enough?” Tobirama’s voice was taking on a wild edge Madara had never heard before with stress and frustration and the Uchiha froze, trying to figure out the pained pinch in the albino’s brow “I know I should have Seen it sooner, but I don’t have control over the Sight! Large events cloud it, and I was so busy dealing with keeping you away from the Akashic Room” (the restaurant? What about it? Madara had considered eating there the night before until – _ah,_ until Tobirama gently prodded him into eating in the Mansion instead) “and the sickness you would have contracted there that the smaller event of the ambush wasn’t clear until it was immediate threat! Is it for sending Hashi away and then walking us into an ambush? Hashirama wouldn’t have made it any better, his presence would have put you in _more_ danger when you weren’t paying attention to anything I did – I know it would Madara, you almost died two years ago when the two of you got going so much you both ignored what I had to say!” (when – wait, oh, that – the museum Gala, Tobirama had gotten badly hurt and even Hashirama’s Preternatural Knack for healing had been hard pressed with that one. In retrospect….well, Tobirama wasn’t wrong, _fuck.)_

“I know you like Hashirama better, _everyone_ knows you would trade me for him in a heartbeat and you never wanted me – you should see the looks I get Madara, no one’s stupid here and you’re not fooling anyone! I just want to know why you’re trying to now when you never hav-“ but whatever was going to finish this increasingly awful- if illuminating- sentence was lost as Tobirama tried to stand in his frustration and blanched, swaying in sudden pain as the _bullet wounds you idiot_ pulled. Madara lunging to catch the slimmer man as gently as he could, cradling the albino to him when Tobirama’s pupils pinned again and this time stayed that way for several breaths; his gaze unseeing, or, _Seeing_ maybe? Carefully Madara gathered his most steadfast ally closer and sat with the younger man in his lap as Tobirama’s pupils reverted to normal, trying to line out his thoughts and frustration in a way that he could communicate with Tobirama as he deserved – Madara might be a proud man but he had always been good at getting what he wanted and he wanted to treat Tobirama right this time, ergo swallowing his pride and apologizing amongst other things.

“Alright?” Madara asked as Tobirama sagged into him, exhausted and grumpy (Madara would wonder how he had missed Tobirama’s Seeing before, but he had avoided looking and Tobirama was clearly good at hiding it if he could do it this well even when drugged and tired and in pain and frustrated). “Fine,” the albino muttered sullenly “just – it’s not important yet” carefully Madara bit back his curiosity, Tobirama was the Seer here and Madara had always trusted his judgment before; there was no reason to make the other man defensive again just because he was slightly curious.

“As you say pet,” shit, ok, time for Madara to bite the bullet “Tobirama, I am sorry” the albino froze and Madara marveled at how easy it was to say those words to him, far easier than it had ever been before “I’m _sorry_ , it – I won’t tell you that I wasn’t upset when Hashirama didn’t show up but if I am brutally honest I had been…dreading it a bit. I had created this ideal of what Hashirama was to me you see, and I wanted that ideal not – not Hashirama himself; once I sorted that out and looked at what I knew of him I knew it would never work, but that didn’t mean I stopped wanting this ideal of an equal and friend that I had made up in my head. I wanted this idea of someone that I didn’t have to take care of or worry about or – it’s hard to explain but I was raised to lead the Family and cast the deepest shadow in Konoha and in order to do that I learned to see how people feared me when I was very young; always I was responsible for everyone and everything and then there was Hashirama that – well, I didn’t need to be responsible for him because he’s so close to invulnerable.” A pause and breath, Tobirama petting his hair in soft encouragement “I was raised in a house of glass toys and aware that my nature required absolute self-control, and I...wanted an unbreakable one.”

Tobirama froze and Madara made himself continue “It was never that much about Hashirama, he and I get on well and as a friend I see sometimes I would like to have him in my life, but what I was upset about wasn’t about _him_ , I was just being selfish and wanted – I wanted something I didn’t have to care about in about a dozen different ways. Its- its complicated, but the reason I treated you the way I did was because – I suppose I didn’t know how to do anything else and I needed to do some growing up but didn’t have anyone to help me to that; help _Madara_ do that, not the Uchiha Boss. I suppose that was part of what I really wanted though I didn’t know it till later, until you gave it to me; you never treated me as The Uchiha Boss, or the Number One Konoha Bachelor, or - you always treated me as Madara, with respect and deference and all that shit but still as _Madara_. And the Madara you treated me as was a better man that I was when you came; shit Tobirama, its you that helped me see that _I_ could be better and stronger _separate_ from the Family. You made me better and Kikiyo may think I don’t know that, but I do, I was just…lazy, fool- no, no, truthfully I was afraid, I didn’t want to apologize. Didn’t want to give you more power over me and own up to the idea of being more than just the Boss, I thought that things could stay where they were and it would be fine and then they _took_ you and –“ with a snarl Madara shoved his face farther in Tobirama’s neck, careful to keep his hands light on the younger man even in his frustration, “they took you and I realized that I _did_ trust you enough to try and be Madara for you, and not just the Uchiha Boss. Fuck, you never even twitched about my eyes and – you’ve seen anything and everything I can be, for good or ill haven’t you?”

There was a pause and then a sigh, gentler now, “Yes” Tobirama’s voice was soft and a bit wistful as he spoke “I have seen everything you can be Madara; I have seen you dead in the dirt two years ago, twisted and hateful and selfish if you married the Zetsu Heiress, broken and dead eyed if Izuna died, lost and listless with your fire gone out, bloody and wrathful and burning Konoha down and laughing as the flames rose higher. I knew you were an Enchanter before Hashirama met you and I have never feared you – only _for_ you Madara, that is why I couldn’t leave you alone, not three years ago and not now” at those all but whispered words something old and bitter in Madara fractured and a strangled noise tore out of his throat without his permission. Carefully he shifted his hold so his clenching hands wouldn’t run the risk of hurting Tobirama, the difficulty of dealing with the need to crush the albino to him and also not aggravate Tobirama’s injures taking rather more concentration then Madara would like. “You’re **_mine_** ” the Uchiha grated out into china-pale skin, relived beyond words when this time Tobirama seemed to understand and just hummed, petting Madara’s hair with long strokes; his fingers sinking through the feathery strands and reducing Madara to a puddle of bliss as the Seer whispered “Yes Madara, I’m yours, and your future is _mine_.”


End file.
